NFL Draft
12/29/24
7 min read
Jihaad Campbell 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Alabama Crimson Tide LB
Height: 6030 (unofficial)
Weight: 244lbs (unofficial)
Year: Junior
Pro Comparison: Zack Baun
Scouting Overview
Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Jihaad Campbell has a unique blend of qualities that should position him favorably as an NFL starter. Campbell is a potent tackler with great length and illustrates an understanding of how to weaponize his wingspan in the box.
He has enough physicality to challenge climbing blocks to the second level or alternatively negotiate offensive linemen as a player on the edge. The Tide have played him as a SAM backer on the edge and as a stack linebacker player off the ball and found a way to get the best of both worlds with his surprising movement skills in space, his significant tackle radius, and his block deconstruction ability.
Do not mistake him for a full-time pass rusher, though. That’s overselling his ability to overwhelm tackles in basic rush opportunities and underselling the menu of roles he affords a team.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Tremendous tackler with notable striking power and an impressive wingspan
- Illustrates the ability to deconstruct blocks effectively with length as both a stack and edge player
- Impressive ability and instinct in zone coverage to key and react to the quarterback and arrive at the football
Negatives
- Can be guilty of taking tackle challenges on high, which has cost him on a handful of occasions in short-yardage situations
- Pressure profile is aided by scheme. He shows good rush versatility, but his ability to attack half-man and win organically as an edge rusher is modest
- Can be a touch overactive at times in eagerness to attack initial keys in the run game
Background
Campbell was born in Erial, NJ, and played high school football for Timber Creek Regional HS before attending the IMG Academy. Campbell was a two-way talent throughout his high school career, playing wide receiver and defensive end. Rated as a 5-star talent (247 Sports), Campbell received offers from every major program in the country and initially committed to Clemson before de-committing and ultimately attending Alabama as a member of the recruiting class of 2022.
Campbell played predominantly as a special teamer in 2022, as a true freshman, before stepping into the starting lineup for much of his sophomore season in 2023. He started eight games that season while playing in a total of 13 games, missing the season opener due to injury. Campbell enjoyed a breakout campaign as a junior in 2024, posting 106 total tackles to lead Alabama’s defense, 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and earning Second-Team All-American honors and First-Team All-SEC honors.
Tale Of The Tape
Campbell is a hybrid defender whose best future likely lies off the ball in an aggressive, blitz/simulated pressure scheme. This is a talent who showcases a lot of different potential roles in how he plays defense for Alabama. He's an impressive chess piece that can help solve several personnel issues on any given week. But, more importantly, he has a clear primary role to play in a defense, which is essential for the so-called "positionless" defensive prospects. That isn't Campbell, who should be charged with playing stack linebacker.
Campbell illustrates impact as a run defender but playing as a scrape player and running over the top of the point of attack. He’s illustrated some really desirable reps as a plug fitter as well, although his consistency of pad level and discipline to hold ground at the point of attack in these instances needs improvement.
He’d be viable in either role, thanks to his length and hand usage to create separation before slipping blocks, plus his quickness over the top of blocks climbing into his lap. He is a physical finisher in the run game, and his tackle radius is boosted by long arms and a good secondary burst to the ball carrier.
Campbell’s play diagnosis in an off-ball role against the run can be more polished and is a growth opportunity for him. His aggressiveness and fast-to-flow nature can, at times, pull him a step or two out of leveraged positions based on eye candy and false indicators away from the football. Being more patient when reading out backfield action and trusting his athleticism will go a long way in helping him make even more plays efficiently at or near the line of scrimmage.
He’s made a number of open-field tackles that really pop for his ability to get a wrap, stand up the ball carrier, and finish without conceding a forward fall to pick up extra real estate — even if he’s tackling on a steep angle to the sideline.
He has ferocious pads to finish and is efficient, too. Campbell boasts a seven percent missed tackle rate for his Alabama career; that figure was just more than 5.5 percent in 2024.
Defending the pass is where his strength lies. He’s a capable talent to drop and play zone coverages or rush the passer. It may be tempting to relegate him to a full-time pass rusher role because of his impressive rush reps from off and on the ball in 2024, but that feels like it is doing Campbell a disservice.
He has illustrated a speed rush and rip&dip combination off the edge, showcasing good ankle flexibility and cornering skills to turn the corner tightly on a tackle and spike back up around his outside hip and back to the quarterback. But Campbell doesn’t have the kind of power throughout his frame, nor an elite first step, to truly live in this world full time, and his optimal rush role features second-level pressures that come via disguise.
Campbell has torn through some wide-open gaps from depth thanks to his ability to disguise second-level pressure and let the center turn into help for a lineman before popping uncontested through an A-gap. He is a load for backs to step up and try to handle in protection. At a minimum, he should be expected to collapse the depth of the pocket and use his length to make the quarterback uncomfortable.
Campbell can be prone to finesse counters when locked up with an offensive lineman, however — LSU’s Will Campbell dumped him on an inside spin on one occasion and would have tossed him for a second if Campbell hadn’t been pushed into a pile on the way down. He can take his rush with high pads at times and needs to expand his rush counters off the edge while knowing his profile isn’t particularly powerful.
As a coverage defender, Campbell is an effective zone option to play in the middle of the field. His anticipation of throws to checkdowns underneath after dropping to a landmark offers him the ability to minimize added yardage underneath and force the offense to work for their gains. He shows good transition skills with sufficient hips and can drive on crossers over the middle or plaster same-side breaks.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Campbell would be best served as a predominant stack linebacker at the NFL level. Simulated pressure schemes will love his ability to time up second-level rushes and allow protections to declare before hitting a gap at full speed.
His confidence in zone drops and ability to play efficiently underneath will set him up to be a productive rally player in pass coverage. His destination should regard him as an instinctive role player early on, with the ability to develop into a full-time starter for a scheme willing to allow him to wear different hats situationally.
Grade: 78.00/100.00, Second Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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